The rise of totalitarian liberalism

George Orwell gave us a look at the operation of a totalitarian one-party state in 1984. This week Mozilla gave us a look at its nascent liberal variant. Recently appointed CEO Brandon Eich was officially made a nonperson. He was dispatched down the memory hole as the company announced that he has “step[ped] down from his role as CEO” as a result of his contribution of $1,000 to the passage of California’s Prop 8 six years ago. This is what the liberal variant of Newspeak sounds like:

Mozilla believes both in equality and freedom of speech. Equality is necessary for meaningful speech. And you need free speech to fight for equality. Figuring out how to stand for both at the same time can be hard.

We have employees with a wide diversity of views. Our culture of openness extends to encouraging staff and community to share their beliefs and opinions in public. This is meant to distinguish Mozilla from most organizations and hold us to a higher standard. But this time we failed to listen, to engage, and to be guided by our community.

Now that Mozilla has listened, engaged and been guided by its community, Mr. Eich has been found guilty of thought crime (or “thoughtcrime,” as Orwell had it) and right deviationism. He has been dispatched down the memory hole in the name of “diversity” and “inclusiveness” in a corporate statement that lacked only the necessary smiley face.

Jonah Goldberg wrote the book on Liberal Fascism. “It is my argument,” he writes, “that American liberalism is a totalitarian political religion.” Mozilla’s highly illuminating statement shows us liberals at prayer.